Special events

We invite people to our beautiful landscapes, and then entertain them with open-air concerts, a theatre hike, or perhaps a twilight walk to celebrate the summer solstice. Other special events include hundreds of volunteers at the Fall Color 5K Run, the annual Arbor Day Weekend Plant Sale, or a weekend of events during Fall Color Festival. Seasonal opportunities throughout the year involve many special event volunteers.

Arbor Day Plant Sale

The last Friday in April is Arbor Day, our very own special celebration at the Arboretum. Hundreds of volunteers participate in the presale pick-up and walk-in plant sales. Proceeds from this three-day sale of perennial plants, trees, and bushes are a major source of revenue for the Arboretum.

Theatre-Hikes™

From June through October, we offer theatre on every weekend. The scenes of the plays are enacted by professional troupes of actors along a 2½ mile walk. Volunteers assist with the Box Office prior to the hike or as Hike Volunteers, keeping the audience together as the play progresses through areas of the Arboretum. Volunteers choose which dates they wish to volunteer during the hike season.

Fall Color Festival

With trees from around the world, the Arboretum is a popular place to enjoy fall color. We kick off the Fall Color Festival with a Fall Color 5K Run, with volunteers assisting in a variety of roles prior to, during, and after the race. For five weekends in October, we entertain Fall Color Festival visitors with activities that require much volunteer support.